(ATR) A proposal approved this week by theMassachusettssenatetargets tax dollars spent on the 2024 Olympics.
The reform was approved for further consideration by the state senate on Wednesday.
The suggested amendmentbars tax dollars being spent on "procuring, hosting, aiding, facilitating, or remediating the effects" of the Olympics unless the state senate approves a special law first, according to the AP.
Economist Andrew Zimbalist tellsAround the Ringsthat L.A. tried something similar.
"Los Angeles passed a bill before the 1984 Olympics that stipulated no public spending would go toward the Games."
The proposal approved this week followsa meeting between the Boston city council and Boston 2024 bid leaders on issues regarding Olympic Agenda 2020.
The meeting, which took place on May 18,is one of four slated to take place over the next two months on the city’s proposed plans for the Olympics.
"I do not believe that Boston 2024 is making constructive steps toward a viable bid," Zimbalist tells ATR.
"They have answered none of the major venue and land issues, continue to use unrealistic numbers on financing, and rely ultimately on billions of dollars of public spending that will not be forthcoming."
In a statement provided to ATR on Tuesday, the U.S. Olympic Committee said it is still "100 percent" behind the Boston 2024 bid.
Zimbalist offers ATRa different take, saying, "The governor and the state senate have now begun to give clear signals that they have grave reservations about the process.
"According to my information, the USOC is talking to L.A. about taking up the U.S. bid, and with good reason."
USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun has so far denied rumorsthat L.A. is being considered for an Olympic bid.
Boston 2024 heads to Lausanne next week to meet with the IOC as part of the "invitational phase" for 2024 Olympic bids. A revised bid plan is expected to be released in June, according to Boston leadership.
Boston, Budapest, Hamburg, Paris and Rome have expressed interest in bidding for the 2024 Games. National Olympic committees have until Sept. 15 to submit letters of intent for cities to bid.
Written byNicole Bennett
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